Rome: A Greig Laidlaw penalty just over a minute from time lifted Scotland over Italy 29-27 in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Italy, who had seen 12-point leads of 17-5 in the first half and 24-12 in the second half disappear, led 27-26 thanks to a Tommaso Allan penalty.
But Scotland earned a penalty after Italy collapsed a maul, and Laidlaw struck it just inside the left post from 37 metres.
Scotland earned a third win for only the third time since the competition expanded in 2000, while Italy were whitewashed for the fourth time in five years.
But Italy contributed to a gripping contest by leading for long periods and scoring three tries, two to fly-half Allan, who also nailed all five of his kicks for a personal tally of 22 points. Fullback Matteo Minozzi became the first Italian to score a try in four consecutive Six Nations matches.
“We finish with our heads held high,” Italy captain Sergio Parisse said in tears while holding his newborn son.
“We played evenly with the (sixth)-best team in the world, one that beat England and France.
“We really deserved to win but unfortunately we weren’t able to close the match out.”
Scotland clawed their way back into the match with a last-quarter comeback from 24-12 down, with outside backs Sean Maitland and Stuart Hogg scoring tries after earlier ones by forwards Fraser Brown and John Barclay, but still needed a last kick at the death to edge home.
